Welcome to my ultimate Edinburgh pub crawl. This is a collection of the 10 pubs around the city which I think, together, would make a banging pub crawl for those brave enough to take it on. I think that if you were just visiting the city it would also give you a fairly comprehensive overview of the pubs of Edinburgh. From more traditional old-man pubs to wacky ones to those that just have great beer.  

This is certainly not an exhaustive list of my favourite pubs in the city, but it contains most of them and this made a nice, neat circle. It also contains one which you can’t really call a pub but it’s so beautiful inside and has such a nice vibe that I’ve included it anyway – it also helpfully bridged the gap between Old Town and New Town.  

Of course, due to the circular nature of the crawl, one could pretty much start anywhere but I think if it was me I’d start early at The Argyle, mainly because I live in Marchmont so it’s convenient and also it’s a really relaxed environment, and just a nice starting point. So, quick stroke of the inevitable congregation of the dogs of Marchmont and we’re off. **Quick interjection for a disclaimer**  I’ve tried to limit walking time between pubs to a maximum of around 15 minutes, with the longest time being right in the middle of the crawl between Jackson’s and Fierce, which is the perfect time to buy mid-crawl chocolate from the Sainsburys on Rose Street before the second act kicks off.  

Ok, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Right, Argyle done, onto Newington. First stop, on South Clerk Street, The Southern. This pub is one of those places that I always wanted to go because it looks so nice from the outside. And, conveniently enough, the beer selection is excellent which makes it all the more appealing. I think it’s a somewhat hotspot for the upwardly mobile late twenties crowd, but the vibes are excellent, even if it is normally quite busy.  

Let’s keep moving, next stop, The Dog House. This is one of the coolest pubs I’ve ever been to, perhaps on par with Paradise Palms, which is definitely a notable mention! If you imagine the literal manifestation of those stealable Beavertown glasses you’d be on the right track. There’s someone there who keeps ferrets but don’t let that put you off, they do events during the week like Open Mic nights, and I think they even have DJ’s on a Saturday night so based on your proclivities one could avoid those nights or work them into your plans. The beer isn’t cheap but it’s nice, there’s cuddly toys on the ceiling and games you can borrow, what’s not to like? 

Moving away from Old Town now and into New Town, we have an extremely underrated pub which I first visited with Beer Society and has one of the most impressive selections of beer in the city. Simply for that reason, it makes the list. In places like this, utilise the fact they let you try things!!! Don’t end up with a pint of some strange Cask Ale which is kept at cellar temperature (something which I view as personally offensive, sue me). Anyway, enjoy the quieter, more chill vibes here before leaving Old Town and venturing into the centre! 

Onto one of my personal favourites and somewhat of a hidden gem, right under the nose of Prince’s Street. Jackson the Tailor. Connected to The Newsroom restaurant (the food here is really good, don’t be too put off by the location), this place is absolutely gorgeous. It’s all red and kind of dark, it makes you feel SO rich just being there. It genuinely looks like something out of a film; even the menus are beautifully designed. Now, of course this place is a notable diversion from the general pub vibes I’ve been pursuing thus far, BUT, I think it’s worth it because it’s beautiful and if you only have one cocktail, it won’t break the bank. I really think Jackson’s is underrated because it’s tucked away so well. However, a benefit of this is that you can pretty much always get a seat!  

Ok, half-way through. After Jackson’s, it’s time for a nice walk down Rose Street which I actually really like. There are a multitude of other pubs along Rose St you could definitely visit if you wanted to break up the 15 mins with a quick one which is nice, but I personally would go to Sainsbury’s and fuel up for the second half.  

Fierce is next and one of my absolute favourites in terms of beer. Also, I think what my boyfriend would choose as his favourite for the same reason, he goes feral for the lime lager, and it really is good. There’s not even really much to say beyond that. The beer is absolutely brilliant, they have TV screens which list all of them, it’s a nice vibe inside and it’s just a great pub.  

Ok, the next ones I’m going to move through a bit quicker because at the end of the day, a pub is a pub and there’s only so many ways to describe them. Number 6 is a Spoons, which I always think a pub crawl should have at least one of. You can get some food, enjoy some cheap pints or a Diet Coke to keep you going and the Caley Picture House is also in an old Art Deco Cinema which is actually really pretty. Moving swiftly on, Innes and Gunn. Another fab beer selection, their Lager is only £3.75 with a student discount, it’s a solid choice for any good pub evening and certainly a recent favourite of me and my friends. 

 At Number 8 is The Ventoux. Now, as my flatmates and anyone else who is around when this pub is mentioned, I have a bit of a love hate relationship with it. The pub is kind of an indiscriminate vibe, it has bikes on the ceiling and vintage cycling jerseys on the walls which doesn’t immediately lead one to think it would be the hotspot for really cool people, but there you go. I was told recently that it’s because it’s so close to the Art school and obvs artists are really cool so it does actually make sense. In addition to people watching and outfit planning based on what the artsy people are wearing, it is actually a nice vibe. You can order really good pizza, they serve Cruzcampo which is really nice and they have cool posters on the wall on the way down to the toilet which my flatmate likes to steal and put on her wall at home.  

Home stretch now and onto what I think is my favourite pub in the city. It’s old, it’s beautiful, it’s got a cute little snug room at the front, which is teasingly unavailable, it’s literally got my name on it…. It’s Bennet’s. Not much more really needs saying about this place, it’s got that lovely old-man pub, comforting, warm vibes and it’s a great place for the end of a pub crawl, and a couple of slower drinks for the end of the night. The beers nice, the setting’s nice, even if you’re pissed because of the 9 other pubs, you can’t go to Bennet’s and not enjoy it, even if you have to stand at the bar.  

Finally, I want to just slide in my notable mentions, because, despite their lack of entry into this crawl, they are still worth a visit. No.1 Paradise Palms. As I mentioned earlier, this place is so cool, it’s vibrant, the cocktails are fabulous they do really cool events, what more could you want? And finally, honourable mention No.2 Cold Town House. Especially in the summer, this place would be a great addition to any pub crawl. It’s on Grassmarket so it’s touristy but Cold Town Brewery makes nice beer and it’s actually not that expensive (by Edinburgh standards). If you do manage to go when its warm, sit on the rooftop terrace. It’s got one of the best views of the castle, you can sit in a cable car, and they have heaters for when it gets a bit chillier. Another thing I particularly enjoy about the addition of Paradise Palms and Cold Town is that it makes the crawl sinch in the middle, transforming the circle into an hourglass – get it girl. 

So, there it is, my 10-pub crawl through Edinburgh. As I said, its not an exhaustive list but it would certainly make for an exhausting evening, and I think it effectively captures the essence of Edinburgh’s pub offerings. Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this slightly all over the place first instalment So, If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and I hope you come back for a future post! 

 – Koré